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Baldun's Keep
Keep of Old Man Baldun, dungeon, undead theme, northern Garmond Clan was very hostile to outsiders, acted as a barrier against undead, was eventually overun. Old man Baldun is still rumored to be about the premises Backstory - The Baulduun clan was once a great and powerful family in the land but became especially warlike and greedy (Garmonders share w/ each other more than expected for such a fiery people). They kept their primary castle out in what was at the time the furthest, most remote section of this county, closers to the hordes of monsters of the forest than other families. They prided themselves on being capable killers of the various Giants, orcs, and monstrous beasts of the area, but ultimately they met their down fall at the hands of a powerful swarm of undead foes, of unknown origin. Ever since, their keep has been a haunted place, where few venture. Over the years the upper levels of the keep (it was 2 story) have been looted and have eventually collapsed. Many brave young lads came here to prove their worth by returning with a piece of stone of the Keep, but any who many who tried this deed never returned. The land around the keep is plagued by evil undead, like Zombies, and and rumors have swirled for generations that Magnus Baulduun himself can be seen among these zombies, commanding them to do his corrupted bidding Castle Dimensions - 120ft long by 100ft wide Caste Description from outside The Keep of Baulduun was clearly am impressive stone fortress in its prime, but is now a shadow of its former glory. The castle was made of dark gray granite blocks, which have been grown over by a thick layer of black mildew or mold of some kind. The cast is butted on the north and eastern edges against rocky hills, and the structure measures roughly 120ft long by 100ft wide. The main entrance faces south, and there is a small exterior building, a chapel of some kind, to the right of the entrance. No other external buildings can be seen. The structure is a single story, with the roof lined with the rotted remains of wooden guard towers and defensive spikes. The wind coming down off the rocky hills surrounding the keep produces a low and constant howl which fills the air with a sense of dread and foreboding. There is no light source in the Keep aside from in the main chapel #1 Entrance (south of #4) #2 - Main castle entrance - (DC 10 STR to open it) These rusty doors are slightly ajar when you approach, and open with an intense screaching of metal as they are practically falling off their hinges. They are heavy and would have served to seal up the fortress well in its heyday, but are now slightly bent and do not form a perfect seal of the doorway, allowing the elements of rain and snow to creep into the castle at this spot. #3 - Foyer - two imposing statues - Two statues guard each side of the entrance way here, each is an ancient warrior dressed in the traditional garb of Bauldun soldiers, weilding a morningstar in one hand and a dagger in the other. The floor here is covered in the same black mold as the exterior walls of the castle outside and impeed your movement when you try to walk across it, as your boots slide with the slightest of pressure. (difficult terrain) There is a slight step down from this area into the dinning hall. #4 - Dining Hall and Lord's Chair - 8 zombies hidden under table, DC 15 passive percept spots them before they animate A set of stairs to your left leads up to the roof. As you enter the room, you begin to hear guttural groans coming from underneath the table. Staggering up and out from their hiding position there is a number of rotten corpses, their dead eyes rolling back in their heads, incoherent moans coming from their throats. The zombies are in no way stealthy, but they begin to stagger towards you in an ambush of sorts, nonetheless. The dinning table is molded over almost completely black, but was once an impressive oaken slab. At the head of the room sits the rusted, rotten remains of a small throne, such as is used by the more wealthy heads of households in this land. If inspected, the throne actually has a few gemstones still embedded into its arms, worth 50gp. #5 - External Chapel - This small chapel was once painted beautfil shades of pink and red, but now is covered in mold and mildew, and its shingles are tattered and nearly completely gone. Old half-burned candles still line a decrepit alter. A few empty burial urns lay on the floor, and a few more line the walls in whats left of some shelving that has not yet rotted away completely. The room still smells vaguely of incense however, as if someone has been returning here to pray in recent times. #6 - Open Room Old barrels for storing grain remain here, mostly shattered and broken though. The remains of 2 sleeping bunks, broken and collapsed now, are located in the middle of the room. These bunks slept as many as 4 men Searching the sleep bunks reveals 2 very old desiccated corpses inside them, men killed in their sleep perhaps. 1 corpse has a coin purse with 10gp in it, the other has a silvered dagger. #7 - Kitchen / Pantry - Minotaur Skeleton - random loot This room is the pantry and kitchen for the keep. It holds a drafty fireplace in the southeastern corner, the sound of bats chirping can be detected from 5ft away. A rapid raccoon will come charging out snapping at the PCs. #8 - Sleeping quarters for common men This room once held 4 sleeping bunks, of slightly better quality than the ones. Sleeping in one of the bunks is a ghostly figure, a middle aged man with what appears to be a caved in skull. He is snoring loud enough to be heard once the PCs enter the room. And wakes with a start. "Ow!! What are you lot doing 'ere? Old Baulduun'll have your souls if he catches you here, see? You best get out, and NOW!" The spirit bellows his last word then flies straight through the PCs incomporiably and out into the rest of the castle. PCs whom are passed through feel as if someone was walking or perhaps stomping on their graves, and cannot stop shuddering for 1 minute. If questioned, the ghost will actually stop and conversate w/ the PCs. His name is Thomas and he was once a simple guard here at the castle. He will explain how the castle met its end, describing being overtaken by a pack of undead in the night totally unexpectedly as the castle guards got drunk to celebrate the wedding of Baulduun's youngest brother. #9 - Main Sleeping Quarters - painting on wall This cramped area appears to be a sleeping quarter dedicated for just one individual, probably the lord of the keep. A bed is against the northern wall, but it is long since smashed and ruined. A footchest at the southern wall looks promising but contains nothing but the skeletal bones of what appears to be 1-2 humans, mostly smashed into bits and pieces, as if in some rage. Against the western wall is a painting, which stands out as one of the only non-detroyed relics in the castle thus far, and depicts a middle-aged dark-haired human, holding a morningstar and a dagger, standing proudly, almost arrogantly, glaring out at the viewer. At his feet are a live badger, snarling at the viewer, and the remains of what look like common undead, such as skeletons and zombies. A small brass plaque beneath the painting says "Magnus Baulduun, Lord of Baulduun Keep and Defender of the GrayWoods." (behind painting is a locked chest embedded in the wall, inside is 200gp) #10 - Internal Courtyard - open air courtyard, shrubby trees, fountain. Sketelon Warhorse & rider, 4 more skeletons. This open courtyard has a lawn overrun with vines and weeds. A stone fountain depicting a badger ripping the head off a squirrel is located near the center of the courtyard. A skeleton warhorse & its rider, and 4 skeletons on the ground, stand still next to the connected chapel door. Upon seeing anyone enter the courtyard from the south, they scream out and attack. #11 - Main Chapel - Magnus Baulduun (wight) & 2 zombies This ancient chapel has not been used by the living for maybe 2 hundred years or so, and so only the stone benches and a stone alter remain. Scraps of tapestries flutter against the walls but not enough of them remains to make out what they depict. Burning candles line the alter and the walls, giving an unearthly glow to this room, which smells of brimstone, death, and decay. Standing perversely on top of the alter, almost cat-like is a human-like, but clearly undead figure. White skin, claws and glowing eyes mark this being as undead, but otherwise, it is identical to the man in the painting in the Main Sleeping Quarters (#9). Ahhhh the stench of the living! How dare you interrupt my domain with your vile presence! If I am to be damned for eternity for falling in battle to the undead horde, then you all will join me here as my zombie slaves! From underneath the chapel benches, 1 zombie and 1 skeleton animate at begin attacking the PCs as well. Baulduun dies with an agonizing shriek, as his undead body breaks apart and a misty green aura pours from his wounds before disipating in the air around you. Hanging around his neck is a mummified humanoid hand, nearly as large as a gorillas, attached by its tendons to a hemp robe. The hand is partially rotted away in spots, but its hard to take your eyes off of it, as it seems to be eminating the faintest of glowing light from the fingertips. (Hand of Kirlodin - bonus to activate, gain 5ft reach for 1 round, 3/day) #12 - Northwest corridor - 1 minotaur skeleton and 1 normal skeleton, will rush into temple if corridor is bypassed A pile of rusted swords and armor lay in a heap right behind the southern door of this passageway. 40gp worth of assorted jewels can be extracted from the hilts of the ancient weapons, surprisingly. Wooden shelves which once held supplies are rotted to the point of collapse. M - Minotaur 67 Y - Skeleton 13